DRINKING WATER
From Utility To Ally: Smart Water Management For Customer Satisfaction
Smart water technologies improve customer satisfaction through accurate billing, leak detection, and data-driven insights, helping utilities build trust, reduce losses, and enhance operational efficiency.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![crisis-response]( "How Remote Water Quality Monitoring Improves Crisis Response")
How Remote Water Quality Monitoring Improves Crisis ResponseRemote water quality monitoring, a key component to effective crisis response, can mitigate the risk of contaminated source water or distributed water reaching consumers.
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![ice-formation]( "Delivering A Reliable Water Supply In All Weathers, Thanks To Active Mixing")
Delivering A Reliable Water Supply In All Weathers, Thanks To Active MixingIce formation can lead to a range of issues including water pressure fluctuations, increased maintenance costs, and the risk of structural damage. Learn about a solution that is designed specifically to effectively mix stored water throughout a tank.
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![lornepark_casestudy_final-1]( "Taste and Odor Treatment with UV-Oxidation - Mississauga, Ontario")
Taste and Odor Treatment with UV-Oxidation - Mississauga, OntarioTo meet the projected population increase from 1,160,000 people currently to an estimated 1,571,000 people in 2031, the Region of Peel decided to upgrade and expand its water treatment plant.
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![NaaS]( "A Utility's Guide To Evaluating Network-As-A-Service")
A Utility's Guide To Evaluating Network-As-A-ServiceThe following pages provide a comprehensive picture of NaaS, including the key questions that will help determine which solution is right for your utility.
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![Innovation_iStock-624034584.jpg]( "Fight Contaminants Of Emerging Concern With A Pipeline Of Innovation")
Fight Contaminants Of Emerging Concern With A Pipeline Of InnovationWater treatment challenges are never-ending — from source water availability, to seasonal upsets, to new contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The best way to stay ahead of such issues is to cultivate a pipeline of innovative solution development ready to address the next challenge. Here are some key insights for evaluating suppliers that are best positioned to do exactly that.
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![Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide & Color Issues in Well Water_PIX]( "Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide And Color Issues In Well Water")
Ozone Resolves Hydrogen Sulfide And Color Issues In Well WaterA potable water plant in Eastern Angelina County, Texas, serves over 2,000 rural customers.
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Mitigating Capital Upgrades To A Wastewater Treatment Plant Using DNA Sequencing
A municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was planning to carry out an expensive capital upgrade to improve treatment performance and bring the plant into compliance. A study was done to determine if alternative solutions to the upgrade could be found.
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![getty-491114280-queenstown]( "UV Water Treatment Plants For Microorganism Prevention")
UV Water Treatment Plants For Microorganism PreventionRecognizing the urgent need to ensure safe drinking water, the Queenstown Lakes District Council in New Zealand partnered with FILTEC to implement advanced UV water treatment solutions across key plants.
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![GettyImages-179133772]( "VOCs For Non-Scientists: Understanding, Detecting, Removing")
VOCs For Non-Scientists: Understanding, Detecting, RemovingThis introduction to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will discuss what qualifies a compound as a VOC, how to detect them, and how to treat and remove these chemicals from the water system.
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![iStock-1161080369]( "How Food And Beverage Companies Can Get Ahead Of The Water Scarcity Curve")
How Food And Beverage Companies Can Get Ahead Of The Water Scarcity CurveHigh-quality water is critical to food and beverage production — both as an ingredient and a process enabler — so the sourcing challenges faced by municipal water systems pose an ongoing threat to the health of the industry. Fortunately, there are a variety of technology options now available to improve water security.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Optimization Of Water Treatment Using Zeta Potential5/27/2020
Drinking water in the US and developed nations of the world is treated to remove contamination of foreign materials, both mineral and organic.
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Improved Efficiencies In TOC Wastewater Analysis For Standard Method 5310B And EPA Method 41510/16/2014Total organic carbon (TOC) measurement is of vital importance to the operation of water treatment due to organic compounds comprising a large group of water pollutants. TOC has been around for many years, and although it is a relatively simple analysis in theory, operational efficiency is paramount.
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Application Note: Desalination Plants: YSI Instruments Monitor Flow & Water Quality At Multiple Stages2/3/2011Desalination is the process of removing salt from sea water or brackish river or groundwater to make potable water. By YSI
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Ion Exchange Resins Reduce Pollution From Refineries12/23/2013
A single operational oil and gas refinery produces millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater a year, leading to environmental pollution concerns. Ion exchange resins are a metal- and ion-removal solution to help clean this wastewater for plant reuse or safe disposal. This application guide explains how resins can be used to demineralize refinery water in process, boiler, and cooling water applications.
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Biofouling Control In Cooling Towers With A Halogen Stabilizer10/22/2020
Biofouling in cooling towers is undesirable because it can reduce heat transfer efficiency, restrict water flow, and accelerate corrosion rates. Of even greater concern is the fact that pathogen growth in cooling towers can lead to disease transmission. Given the favorable growth environment of a cooling tower, these microorganisms can reproduce, proliferate and form complex biofilm communities. Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease, are one of the greatest concerns from a public health standpoint because infections are often lethal and cooling towers are the most frequently reported non-potable water source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks (Llewellyn 2017).
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The Active Control Program For Advanced UV Oxidation12/1/2025
This application note will explore how active control programs lower operational costs of compliant contaminant removal.
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Removal Of PFCs With Activated Carbon12/30/2013
In recent years, various perflorinated chemicals (PFCs) have come under increasing scrutiny due to their presence in the environment, in animals, and in human blood samples. There are two major classes of PFCs: perfluoroalkyl sulfonates such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and long chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA).
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Ultrapure Water For Determination of Toxic Elements In Environmental Analyses4/10/2018
In this paper the importance of reagent water quality for toxic element environmental analyses is discussed, and the suitability of fresh ultrapure water produced using MilliporeSigma water purification systems for ICP-OES and ICP-MS trace element analyses in environmental laboratories is demonstrated.
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The Basics: ORP and Free Chlorine Monitoring5/13/2014
Oxidation Reduction Potential or Redox is the activity or strength of oxidizers and reducers in relation to their concentration. Oxidizers accept electrons, reducers lose electrons. Examples of oxidizers are: chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, bromine, ozone, and chlorine dioxide. Examples of reducers are sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfate and hydrogen sulfide. Like acidity and alkalinity, the increase of one is at the expense of the other.
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UV Technology Offers Solution For Emerging Water Crisis2/19/2014
Many are turning to UV as an effective barrier to enable the reuse of wastewater, for indirect reuse, and aquifer recharge.
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
Polyethylene Encasement has been protecting ductile iron pipe since 1958, earning its reputation as the most economical and proven method of corrosion control in the industry.
The Hydra-Tapper provides access to the pressurized pipe without disrupting pressure or service. Obtain a tapping sleeve and a tapping valve capable of retaining the internal pressure of the water main.
HYMAX GRIP joins and restrains a wide selection of pipes of different types and diameters, easily and reliably. Due to its patented design, it allows the joining of pipes of the same or different materials and diameters and prevents axial pipe movement.
The MEGALUG Series 1100CH split restraint harness for couplings have a split design for ease of installation. It restrains both existing and new couplings on Ductile Iron Pipe.
The OPTIFLUX 5300 is an electromagnetic flowmeter (EMF) with a high-tech ceramic measuring tube for very aggressive and abrasive fluids, even with high solid content (up to 70%). The high-end EMF is particularly suited for process applications in the chemical processing industry and the minerals and mining sector. Due to its FDA and EC1935/2004 compliant sensor material, the OPTIFLUX 5300 can also be used for hygienic applications. With a measuring uncertainty of just ±0.15% of measured value (±1 mm/s) it is one of the most accurate electromagnetic flowmeters available in the market. That is why leading metrological institutes use the OPTIFLUX 5300 as their master meter.
The launch of the world’s first ready-to-use reagent packages for photometric analysis in the 1960’s had a substantial effect on water analysis. Today Hach® TNTplus® Vial Tests and photometers are indispensable elements of both process control and compliance monitoring.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Water droplets, PFAS, Forever chemical water contamination-GettyImages-2173433890]( "Designing Resilient PFAS Treatment Strategies For Water Agencies")
Water agencies across the U.S. are facing a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that poses a conundrum: Should they take a cautious or aggressive approach to treating PFAS contamination in their water system?
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![Oil spill clean up-GettyImages-1369921282]( "The Future Of In Situ Chemical Oxidation For Targeted Solvent Destruction")
The U.S. EPA’s 2026 trichloroethylene (TCE) compliance deadlines are now forcing a concrete shift toward source-zone destruction. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), sequenced with enhanced bioremediation, is proving to be the most credible path to groundwater contaminant rebound mitigation.
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![money, dollars down the drain-GettyImages-157193934]( "Critical Infrastructure Fails The Way It's Funded")
Our infrastructure systems have operated in managed deterioration for decades. And not surprisingly, once they deteriorate badly enough and cross over into active failure, all cost discipline disappears. -
![Smart industry, worker safety technology-GettyImages-2218674119]( "Geotechnical IoT Shifts Water Infrastructure From Reactive To Predictive")
Currently, water infrastructure is outdated and fragile, prone to breakages and leaks. Reactive approaches to water infrastructure are only implemented after an incident and are more expensive than simple maintenance fixes. Geotechnical Internet of Things (IoT) devices enable water and wastewater industry professionals to identify and address issues before they escalate into catastrophic events. -
![Water Drop with brain-GettyImages-481129858]( "When Drinking Water Raises Bigger Questions About Brain Health And Environmental Risk")
A new study linking certain groundwater sources to higher Parkinson’s risk underscores a broader question for the water sector: how environmental exposures in drinking water may influence long-term health. -
![Water Treatment system for boiler station-GettyImages-914817776]( "Filtration Media For Municipal, Industrial, And Landscape Water Treatment: Legacy And Novel Technologies")
The growing demand for water across a variety of sectors combined with the increasingly understood complexity of emerging contaminants is creating a dynamic marketplace for filtration media. The goal of selecting the right filtration media is not to meet minimum standards but to achieve the right balance of performance, durability, and operational simplicity to ensure long-term compliance and cost-effective operation.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
In this episode of the Water Online Show, hosts Travis Kennedy and Kevin Westerling explore AI's transformative role in water utility operations with guest Dave Brown, Director of Maintenance at Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), which serves nearly a million customers across 682 square miles in Southern California.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.